Trader Joe's product discussion
July 18, 2018 9:00 AM Subscribe
Is there a discussion forum or community about products from Trader Joe's?
I've found a few blogs about TJ's, but I'm looking for more of a community place, like Ask Metafilter. Or Chowhound, I guess. But focused on TJ's products specifically. I've found some blogs, but they're of varying quality, and there's no real discussion aspect, just one person's opinion.
Like, the other night, I was in TJ's and noticed they didn't seem to be stocking their harissa anymore. Is it discontinued? Was it a seasonal product?
Or, I bought some marinated artichoke hearts a while back just because, but I don't actually know anything about artichokes, so what should I do with them?
Or, I was reading a blog review of one of my favorite TJ's products, Carolina Gold BBQ sauce, and saw that the reviewer used it suboptimally, leading to a bad review. I'd love to jump in and say "wait, try it on pull pork instead!", but the review is like three years old, and it would be weird to leave a comment that late.
These are pretty simple questions, and I could easily google the answers. But I shop at TJ's quite a bit (it's right across the street from me), and similar questions arise frequently. I'd love it if there were a place I could just go and ask (or, even better, see if someone else had already asked the same question). Does something like this exist?
I've found a few blogs about TJ's, but I'm looking for more of a community place, like Ask Metafilter. Or Chowhound, I guess. But focused on TJ's products specifically. I've found some blogs, but they're of varying quality, and there's no real discussion aspect, just one person's opinion.
Like, the other night, I was in TJ's and noticed they didn't seem to be stocking their harissa anymore. Is it discontinued? Was it a seasonal product?
Or, I bought some marinated artichoke hearts a while back just because, but I don't actually know anything about artichokes, so what should I do with them?
Or, I was reading a blog review of one of my favorite TJ's products, Carolina Gold BBQ sauce, and saw that the reviewer used it suboptimally, leading to a bad review. I'd love to jump in and say "wait, try it on pull pork instead!", but the review is like three years old, and it would be weird to leave a comment that late.
These are pretty simple questions, and I could easily google the answers. But I shop at TJ's quite a bit (it's right across the street from me), and similar questions arise frequently. I'd love it if there were a place I could just go and ask (or, even better, see if someone else had already asked the same question). Does something like this exist?
Reddit has /r/traderjoes for TJ's fans to hang out, ask questions, discuss. It seems fairly active and probably would be responsive, go ahead and ask some questions and see how it goes!
Reddit has a (fairly earned) rep here for being a horrible cesspool when looking at the massive subs, but it is usually reasonable and pleasant for topic subs like this.
(On preview: dammit, jinx :)
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:10 AM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
Reddit has a (fairly earned) rep here for being a horrible cesspool when looking at the massive subs, but it is usually reasonable and pleasant for topic subs like this.
(On preview: dammit, jinx :)
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:10 AM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
So there is a pretty regular (monthly?) chowhound thread called Trader Joes Yay/Nay/Meh - since they did away with the boards and went to tags there is both a specific tag for those threads and another "Trader Joe's" tag as well.
I browse those discussions occasionnaly and while its mostly focused on folks reviewing new/season items there is some discussion how to use them and where beloved former products went.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 9:10 AM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
I browse those discussions occasionnaly and while its mostly focused on folks reviewing new/season items there is some discussion how to use them and where beloved former products went.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 9:10 AM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
There's the What's Good at Trader Joe's blog.
posted by karbonokapi at 9:17 AM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by karbonokapi at 9:17 AM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
Chowhound Trader Joes Yay/Nay/Meh is, I find, a pretty manageable size-- 100-300 comments each month.
posted by acidic at 9:33 AM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by acidic at 9:33 AM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
Facebook is great for this, too! I started a group there for vegan food at Trader Joe's but there are also very active general-interest Trader Joe's groups for, too. You'll find that people post about new and disappearing products, perennial favorites, recipe and preparation ideas, reviews, regional availability, and more. If you're looking for conversation and varied viewpoints, this is a good way to go.
posted by QuakerMel at 10:05 AM on July 18, 2018
posted by QuakerMel at 10:05 AM on July 18, 2018
A good friend of mine who is a store manager at Trader Joes said the harissa is out of stock at the warehouse. When the warehouse is restocked, the stores will be. I'm addicted to the stuff and had been looking for it... didn't want to have to find a replacement!
posted by Everydayville at 10:32 AM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Everydayville at 10:32 AM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
What would be great would be a "what's leaving/what's coming" thing, like they do for Netflix.
posted by Don Pepino at 10:36 AM on July 18, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by Don Pepino at 10:36 AM on July 18, 2018 [5 favorites]
I reach out to TJ's on a regular basis via their website to ask them stuff like this. They're very good at replying and even took one of my product concerns super seriously (repeat issues with being unable to fully remove the plastic overwrap on frozen macaroni and cheese which resulted in plastic melting into food during cooking). You could try that as an avenue if you haven't already.
posted by Hermione Granger at 10:56 AM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Hermione Granger at 10:56 AM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Ah, I guess I probably should have thought of Reddit. The mental block is strong.
posted by kevinbelt at 11:01 AM on July 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 11:01 AM on July 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
Regarding Harissa. Kitchen Imp makes a really good one. Mail order or at some shops in Seattle area. (I haven't tried TJ's harissa.)
posted by valannc at 2:40 PM on July 18, 2018
posted by valannc at 2:40 PM on July 18, 2018
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posted by jennypower at 9:09 AM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]